Electrode.



P. J. MAGHALSKE.

ELECTRODE. APPLICATION FILED JUNE 27, 1913.

Patented June 9, 1914 BEST AVAXLABLE coe- UNITED s'rnfrns PATENT OFFICE.

FLORENTINE J. MAoHnLsKn, or nnn r'rsnuize, NEW YORK. ASSIGNOR, BY MESNE ASSIGNMENTS, TO AMER-roan rnaaonncrnrnn conronarron, or PLATTSBURG, new YORK, A oonronnrron on NEW YORK.

nnnc'rnonn Specification of Letters Patent.-

Patented June 9, 1914 v npplication filed June 27, 1913. Serial No; t76,157.

all w/zobziit may concern w Be it n wn that I; Fibnnn'rinn J. MA-

cHALsKna citizen of the United States,resid--- mg at Plattsburg, Clinton county, New;

York, have invented certain-new and 'useful tion.

My invention relates to improvements in electrodes for smelting furnaces, and has for its object to provide anelectrode which shall supply current through a large area and atthe same time shall not have a large area of carbon.- 1

It further has for its object to provide an electrode which shall be largely composed of slag-producing material.

The following is a description of an embodiment of my invention, reference being 20 had to the accompanying drawings,1n

which Figure 1 is a plan. view of an electrode.

embodying; my invention, and Fig. 2 is a longitudinal section. of the same on the line a;m Fig-1. Referring moreparticularly to the drawings, 1 is a casing, preferably sheet iron.

2 is a pluralityof carbon rods within said casing. These rods may be of ordinary caron or may be of artificial graphitic carbon I graphite, the former being preferred on account of cheapness. Within the casing,

and filling thespaces around the carbon. rods, is a filler 3 of magnesium oxld, or,'as

found in a stateof nature, dolomite, calcium-magnesium carbonate (MgcaC O This magnesium oxi d, before being placed in the casing, is mixed with a suitable binder, such as hot tar or silicate of soda, only enough of the binder being used to form the oxid into a cdhering mass. Theoxid with its binder is tamped in place within the easing so as to form a solid mass, and after the casing is filled, the electrode is baked sons to expel all the moisture therefrom. The

carbon rods are provided with suitable electric connections 4 at one end so that they ta the electrode, it passes through the carbon rods, heating their lower ends to incandescence and heating the surrounding;

magnesium oxid also to incandescence. Magnesium oxid, as is'well known, is a re fractory' magnesium compound and has the peculiar property of becoming a conductor of comparatively low resistance when highly heated. The lower end of the electrode, as a whole, therefore, becomes incandescent as the current passes, and forms an incandescent area of relatively large extent-in contact with the charge. Moreover, the incandescentportion of the electrode is very lar ely composed of magnesium oxid (dolomite' 1CaMgG O and 'only to a small extent composed of carbon so that metal at anytime. Moreover, the lower ends of the carbon; rods,'.asthey are heated, be-

there is little carbon exposed to the molten Y come automatically converted by the electric current into artificial graphite, which is not. substantially acted upon by the molten metal or. dissolved thereby. A. minimum amount of carbon' is, therefore, introduced into the moltenmetal'by reason of the use of my electrodes. Moreover, theQmagnes'ium oxid dolomite CaMgC OQ is a slag-forming c'ompound,-.so that the-heat supplied is pracsol tically always supplied through slag and the carbon in-the electrode is practically kept .out.of contact with'the molten metal and the minimum.

What I claim 15:, I

carburiz'ing of the metal is reduced to a 1. In an electrode for smelting furnaces,-

the eombinationof a refractory magnes arn compound of relatively high conductivity 'when heated, and carbon, the magnesiiun compound providing the major portion of the conducting surface.

2. In an electrode for smelting furnaces,

therewith, the latter forming a' conducting path extending lengthwise of said electro e. 4. In an electrode for smelting furnaces, the combination of a refractory magnesium compound of relatively high conductivity when heated, and a carbon rod closely asso ciated therewith, the latter-forming a conthe combination of a refractory magnesium compound ,of relatively high conductivity whenheated, and a plurality of carbon rods associated therewith, the latter formin conducting paths extending lengthwise 0? said electrode. A

7. Inan electrode for smelting furnaces, the combination of a refractory magnesium compound of relatively high conductivity when heated, and carbon closely associated essr avaa'aslr'coei therewith, the latter formif a conducting 25 'path extending lengthwise 0 said electrode,

and a sheath surrounding the magnesium compound and carbon.' M

8. In an electrode for smelting furnaces,

the combination ofa refractory ma esiilm compound of relatively high con uctivity when heated, and a plurality of electrically connected carbon rods associated therewith,

the latter forming conductingpaths extending lengthwiseof said electrode.- 35

9. In anelectrode for smelting furnaces,

thecombination of a refractory magnesium compound of relatively high conductivitywhen heated, a, plurality of electrically-con nected carbon rods associated therewith, the 42 latter formin conductingipaths extendin lengthwise of said electrode, and a sheet surrounding the magnesium compound and carbon rods;

FLORENTINE J. MAGHALSKE. "Witnesses: 1

WV. H. CLARK, T. G. How. 

